Talaies d'Alcalà
Encyclopedia
Talaies d'Alcalà also known as Serra de les Talaies or simply Les Talaies, is a 21.5 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat
comarca, Valencian Community
, Spain
. Its highest point is Talaia Grossa (635 m).
Talaies, the name of the range, means "watchtower
s" in Catalan
and refers to ancient battles fought in the area since Iberian
times. Alcalà refers to the town of Alcalà de Xivert
located in the plain below the mountains.
and the Mediterranean coastline in a NE–SW direction south of the Vinaròs
plain, its northern limit. It rises on the western side of the road between Barcelona
and Valencia. It stretches over the municipal terms of Santa Magdalena de Polpís
, Cervera del Maestrat, La Salzadella and Les Coves de Vinromà in the west. Its southern limit is within Alcalà de Xivert municipal term. The Serra de la Vall d'Àngel mountains form a natural boundary further inland at the northwestern end of the Talaies.
The range is covered with low Mediterranean forest
and Maquis shrubland
. Parts of the lower slopes are planted with olive
, almond
and carob tree
s. Generally the eastern side of the range has more vegetation than the eastern owing to the influence of the sea breeze
.
Geologically the Talaies d'Alcalà is a karstic formation with numerous shafts
and caves. It is a southern prolongation of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
that formed 25 million years ago as part of the Alpine orogeny
.
Geologically the section formed by the Talaies d'Alcalà - Santa Magdalena de Polpís/Alcalà de Xivert Valley - Serra d'Irta is very similar to the section formed by the Serra del Montsià
- Ulldecona
/Freginals
Valley - Serra de Godall further north. These sets of parallel mountain ranges and valleys form the transition between the Mediterranean System
and the Iberian System
.
(1872-76) in the 19th century and again during the Spanish Civil War
(1936 - 1939) when the fascist troops tried to split the Spanish Republic
an government territory in two and reach the Mediterranean coast cutting across the Talaies.
Baix Maestrat
Baix Maestrat is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Alcalà de Xivert*Benicarló*Càlig*Canet lo Roig*Castell de Cabres*Cervera del Maestre*Chert/Xert*La Jana*Peñíscola*La Pobla de Benifassà...
comarca, Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Its highest point is Talaia Grossa (635 m).
Talaies, the name of the range, means "watchtower
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
s" in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and refers to ancient battles fought in the area since Iberian
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
times. Alcalà refers to the town of Alcalà de Xivert
Alcalà de Xivert
Alcalà de Xivert is a town and municipality in the Baix Maestrat comarca, province of Castelló, Valencian Community, Spain.The main town is located inland in a flat valley between the two mountain ranges of Serra d'Irta and Serra de les Talaies...
located in the plain below the mountains.
Description
The Talaies range stretches a few kilometres inland parallel to the Serra d'IrtaSerra d'Irta
Serra d'Irta is a 18.8 km long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Pic Campanilles .-Location:...
and the Mediterranean coastline in a NE–SW direction south of the Vinaròs
Vinaròs
Vinaròs is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the western Mediterranean Sea, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination....
plain, its northern limit. It rises on the western side of the road between Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and Valencia. It stretches over the municipal terms of Santa Magdalena de Polpís
Santa Magdalena de Polpís
Santa Magdalena de Polpís is a town and municipality in the Baix Maestrat comarca, province of Castelló, Valencian Community, Spain.The town is located inland in a flat valley between the two mountain ranges of Serra d'Irta and Serra de les Talaies...
, Cervera del Maestrat, La Salzadella and Les Coves de Vinromà in the west. Its southern limit is within Alcalà de Xivert municipal term. The Serra de la Vall d'Àngel mountains form a natural boundary further inland at the northwestern end of the Talaies.
The range is covered with low Mediterranean forest
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, defined by the World Wildlife Fund, characterized by dry summers and rainy winters. Summers are typically hot in low-lying inland locations but can be cool near some seas, as near San Francisco, which have a sea of cool waters...
and Maquis shrubland
Maquis shrubland
thumb|220px|Low Maquis in Corsica.220px|thumb|High macchia in Sardinia.Maquis or macchia is a shrubland biome in the Mediterranean region, typically consisting of densely growing evergreen shrubs such as holm oak, tree heath, strawberry tree, sage, juniper, buckthorn, spurge olive and myrtle...
. Parts of the lower slopes are planted with olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
, almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
and carob tree
Carob tree
Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob tree and St John's-bread, is a species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family, Fabaceae...
s. Generally the eastern side of the range has more vegetation than the eastern owing to the influence of the sea breeze
Sea breeze
A sea-breeze is a wind from the sea that develops over land near coasts. It is formed by increasing temperature differences between the land and water; these create a pressure minimum over the land due to its relative warmth, and forces higher pressure, cooler air from the sea to move inland...
.
Geologically the Talaies d'Alcalà is a karstic formation with numerous shafts
Shaft mining
Shaft mining or shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom....
and caves. It is a southern prolongation of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
The Catalan Pre-Coastal Range is a system of mountain ranges running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast in Catalonia. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System. Its main axis runs between the Catalan Transversal Range and the Serra de l'Espina, which connects with the Ports de...
that formed 25 million years ago as part of the Alpine orogeny
Alpine orogeny
The Alpine orogeny is an orogenic phase in the Late Mesozoic and Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt...
.
Geologically the section formed by the Talaies d'Alcalà - Santa Magdalena de Polpís/Alcalà de Xivert Valley - Serra d'Irta is very similar to the section formed by the Serra del Montsià
Serra del Montsià
Serra del Montsià is a 14.5 km long mountain range in Catalonia. It gives its name to the Montsià, the southernmost comarca of Catalonia. Its highest point is 764 m high La Torreta....
- Ulldecona
Ulldecona
Ulldecona is a town in the South of Catalonia, in Montsià , near the Senia River. Ulldecona is part of the Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities....
/Freginals
Freginals
Freginals is a municipality in the comarca of Montsià inCatalonia, Spain.This picturesque town is located on a hill between the northern end of the Serra de Godall and the Serra del Montsià, not far from the forking of the roads between Tortosa, Ulldecona and Amposta...
Valley - Serra de Godall further north. These sets of parallel mountain ranges and valleys form the transition between the Mediterranean System
Catalan Mediterranean System
The Catalan Mediterranean System, also known as Mediterranean System, Transversal Ibero-Pyrenaean System and Catalanid Systemis a wide coastal geographical region in Catalonia...
and the Iberian System
Sistema Ibérico
The Sistema Ibérico or Iberian System is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.It is a vast and complex system of mountain chains and massifs located in the central regions of the Iberian Peninsula, but reaching almost the Mediterranean coast in the Land of Valencia in the east.From...
.
History
This mountain range was the scenario of violent battles both during the Third Carlist WarCarlist Wars
The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which contenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. Several times during the period from 1833 to 1876 the Carlists — followers of Infante Carlos and his descendants — rallied to the cry of "God, Country, and King" and...
(1872-76) in the 19th century and again during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
(1936 - 1939) when the fascist troops tried to split the Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
an government territory in two and reach the Mediterranean coast cutting across the Talaies.